By Richard Smale
Ship Tracking Lead Analyst
In the ever-evolving world of maritime intelligence, accuracy and completeness in vessel tracking are paramount. While satellite AIS provides coverage in remote mid-ocean regions and terrestrial AIS excels in coastal areas, there has always been a critical data gap in the in-between zones—the busy but offshore shipping lanes just beyond terrestrial range.
Enter shipborne AIS, an emerging technology that is revolutionizing maritime tracking by acting as a bridge between satellite and terrestrial AIS, enhancing frequency, accuracy, and reliability.
Closing the Coverage Gap
Shipborne AIS plays a vital role in areas where traditional tracking methods fall short. These mid-range zones—often bustling with commercial activity—previously relied on sporadic satellite AIS updates or distant terrestrial signals. With shipborne AIS, vessels transmit the received AIS data of the vessels in their vicinity over satellite link, effectively turning them into floating, roaming AIS stations continuously transmitting data, and significantly improving visibility in these key areas.
Enhancing Accuracy in Congested Areas
In heavily trafficked zones like the South China Sea, shipborne AIS dramatically increases the frequency of position updates. With so many ships acting as roaming AIS stations, the granularity of data improves, reducing gaps and inaccuracies. This means operators, regulators, and financial institutions gain a completer and more real-time picture of vessel movements, reducing the risks associated with incomplete tracking data.
Reducing Reliance on Traditional Satellite AIS
As satellite connectivity improves, providing ships with affordable, high-capacity solutions, this is driving a surge in vessel data transmission and expanding the availability of shipborne AIS data directly from vessels. This shift means less dependency on traditional satellite AIS sources and more direct data from vessels themselves, further strengthening maritime intelligence. Shipborne AIS complements this shift, providing a more immediate and frequent stream of updates.
Key advantages of shipborne AIS
Shipborne AIS is proving indispensable in three critical scenarios:
By integrating shipborne AIS with satellite and terrestrial networks, Lloyd’s List Intelligence is pioneering the future of vessel tracking, delivering the most comprehensive and accurate maritime intelligence available today.
The future of AIS tracking isn’t just about land-based or space-based solutions—it’s about harnessing the power of all three AIS types together, bridging the divide for seamless global maritime visibility.
To learn more about our data story, click here.
